New Chicago Fire head coach Denis Hamlett said heading into the MLS SuperDraft they would be looking for a player to score some goals. It's possible they got one as they picked Virginia Tech's Patrick Nyarko with the No. 7 overall pick.
"What made me nervous was the fact that I didn't know where I was going to end up," Nyarko said. "I'm ready to go. I think the Fire is one of the most exciting teams to watch. They can make things happen."
Nyarko came to the United States from Ghana to pursue a college degree and perhaps a soccer career. Within three seasons, he established himself as one of the top forwards in college soccer, with 31 goals and 24 assists.
A Generation adidas player, Nyarko left Virginia Tech after three successful seasons and leading the Hokies to the NCAA College Cup. He said leaving early was not easy for him, but he felt the time was right.
"It was really hard to make the decision to leave early. I had long talks with the coaches and my team," Nyarko said. "They were a little skeptical. But I felt that this was the right time for me to go."
Virginia Tech head coach Oliver Weiss was in attendance and said he couldn't be more proud of his star forward.
"This is terrific," Weiss said. "He's the first player ever drafted from Wake Forest. I couldn't be more proud. Even though he's young, he's very committed and disciplined. Patrick will be a great addition to Chicago."
With their second pick in the first round (No. 12 overall) Chicago secured the goal. Still unsure whether starting goalkeeper Matt Pickens will return from training in England, the Fire added to their goalkeeper pool. Chicago selected University of Tulsa 'keeper Dominic Cervi. In his four seasons in Tulsa, the keeper played in 56 matches during his tenure with the Hurricanes, posting 10 shutouts.
"We made a very good offer to Matt, his representative turned it down," Hamlett said. "We had to do what's in the best interest of the team. I feel very confident in Jon Busch and Nick Noble. We watched Dominic play for two days, before he went to train with the (U.S.) U-23's. He has certain good starting points and he can hold his own."
In the second round, the Fire waited until pick No. 26. But with that pick, they selected forward/midfielder Peter Lowry from Santa Clara. In four seasons with the Broncos, Lowry played in 87 games, registering 22 goals and 15 assists. He was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2007, All-American, All-Far West, All-West Coast Conference and WCC Player of the Year. At 5-11, he will be a versatile player for Chicago.
"The first three players we drafted we ranked at No. 1 in all their positions," Hamlett said. "We were very pleased they were still available."
The Fire added forward Dwight Barnett from unheralded Lynn University, but someone must have clued the Fire in. The 6-1 striker started his collegiate career at Herkimer County Community College. In his two seasons there he tallied 33 goals and 38 assists. He transferred to Lynn, where he led the offense in his final two years. He tallied 26 goals and 16 assists during that time.
"We met Dwight last preseason when we trained at Lynn University," Hamlett said. "We talked to him, saw videos and liked what we saw. He's an attacking forward that was worth taking a chance on."
Midfielder Stephen King from University of Maryland joined the team two picks later at No. 40. The midfielder had a successful career with the Terrapins with 30 goals and 33 assists in his four-year campaign. Originally from New Jersey, he became an assist man in his senior campaign with 13.
Finally, Chicago added defender Austin Washington from Gonzaga with the 54th overall selection in the draft.
Kathryn L. Knapp is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
